Weighing Safety and Regulations

Do we need new regulations for cranes to keep people safe? Getting cranes up and down isn’t the easiest task ever. It does take time; therefore it is important to keep safety measures in place. During Hurricane Irma, you may have seen news broadcasts regarding cranes that were in Miami. It was reported that there wasn’t enough time to get these cranes down and out of the way of the impending hurricane. During the hurricane, these cranes did spin as they were supposed to, but ultimately they did fall.

Keep in mind that these cranes are designed to withstand forecasted winds. It is also important to note that people who lived near any of those cranes were told to evacuate.

Why weren’t these cranes removed as part of the hurricane preparation?

There wasn’t enough time.

Streets needed to be closed.

Other cranes needed to be brought in.

Cranes need to be reserved.

It could have taken 6 – 10 days per crane.

They were designed to spin like a weathervane and withstand 150 mph.

New York has imposed some more strict regulations following accidents in Manhattan. There is talk of regulation changes now after what happened in Florida. Associated Builders and Contractors think that this might just be a knee jerk reaction to current affairs. It is unknown why these cranes failed in winds lower than they were supposed to withstand. OSHA is investigating.

Rules and regulations vary by state, but ultimately these decisions lie with the federal government. OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) regulates cranes. Between Federal and State laws, making changes to these regulations can be a regulatory nightmare.

Isn’t safety more important than worrying about possible new regulations? This is definitely going to be up for debate. Facts will need to be gathered and examined. It will be an uphill battle for sure. No one wants to put cranes out of business. Seeing cranes in growing cities is a sign of growth, which is a good thing.